God’s winter palette

The Protea family is named after the Greek God Proteus who repeatedly changed his appearance. One of the forms that our Cape Proteas take is that of the Leucadendrons or Cone Bushes. This group of proteas has separate male and female plants, often looking quite different from one another. The female plant produces woody cones which protect the seeds. There are 83 known species of Leucadendron in the southwestern Cape.In spite of their relatively large size these bushes are an inconspicuous green during the summer. However at the onset of...